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Some in the Chicago area were without power overnight after strong winds led to downed tree limbs, with gusts as high as 40 miles per hour expected to continue Monday.
The morning winds come following an evening of gusts as high as 50 mph, the National Weather Service said.
Winds from the west will increase quickly with a cold front late afternoon/early evening. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph may lead to some downed tree limbs and difficult travel for high profile vehicles on N-S roads. Scattered showers could produce localized gusts near 50 mph. pic.twitter.com/COyVG2SPTz
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 23, 2025
"It's been a very windy March," NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said. "Now March is typically windy, because the seasons are starting to change, but the winds have just been outrageous the last couple weeks."
Early Monday morning, wind gusts were up to 40 mph at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Roman said. Wind gusts between 35 and 40 mph would continue through the morning hours Monday, not subsiding until around 8 p.m.
Across the Chicago area, photos and video overnight showed down branches, trees and even highway signs due to the strong winds. In Albany Park, where some 50 customers had lost power briefly, photos showed a toppled tower structure at Eugene Field.
Spring is normally a time of faster wind speeds in the Midwest, a report from the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer & Environmental Sciences said.
Weather
"The jet stream is often located over the Midwest this time of year, moving in a wavy fashion from west to east. As the jet waves move, that brings about changes in air pressure, and winds associated with those changes," the report said.
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Monday morning, those winds were also making temperatures feel colder, with wind chills in the 20s.
Wind chills through the morning hours Monday were expected to remain cold, Roman said, with temperatures increasing and clouds clearing into the afternoon. According to Roman, highs in the mid 40s to low 50s were expected, with readings back into the 20s and 30s overnight.
Tuesday would be in the 40s, Roman said, with scattered showers overnight and into Tuesday morning.
"Some may see a snowflake mixing in, making it a cold rain," Roman said.
Into Tuesday afternoon, showers would remain scattered, though rain could remain only in the far southern counties. Wednesday would be drier, Roman said, with highs in the low 50s.
